Tracking Local Keyword Rankings by Proximity

Local SEO

Apr 21, 2025

Learn how to track and improve your local keyword rankings by analyzing proximity and using effective tools for better local SEO performance.

Want to boost your local search rankings? Proximity is key. Here's how to track and improve your local keyword performance based on location:

Proximity Matters: Search engines prioritize businesses closer to the searcher, especially in map results.
Track by Distance: Break your area into zones (e.g., 1 mile, 5 miles) and analyze keyword rankings within each.
Use Tools: Use map-based tools like Metrics Watch to visualize rankings and automate reports.
Focus on Weak Spots: Identify underperforming areas and improve with location-specific strategies like optimized content or updated Google Business Profile settings.
Automate Reporting: Streamline tracking with tools that create branded, professional reports for easy client sharing.

Key Tip: Regularly monitor rankings across different distances to stay competitive and refine your local SEO strategy.

How To Expand Ranking Radius In Local Maps Pack

How Location Affects Local SEO Rankings

Search engines give priority to businesses that are physically closer to the person conducting the search. In map pack results, proximity often takes the lead - meaning a nearby business can outrank a better-optimized but farther competitor. For organic search results, proximity is considered alongside factors like relevance and authority.

Let’s break down how these proximity effects play out step by step.

How to Track Local Rankings Step by Step

Proximity plays a big role in local SEO, so tracking your keyword rankings by distance is crucial. Here's how you can do it in four steps:

Choose Local Keywords

Start by selecting keywords that match your business goals and reflect what your customers are searching for. For example, terms like "dentist downtown Chicago," "emergency dental care," or "dentist near me" might be relevant if you're a dental practice. Focus on terms with good search volume and relevance to your services.

Measure Rankings by Distance

Break your target area into distance ranges, such as 1 mile, 5 miles, or 10 miles. Assign ZIP codes or geographic coordinates to each range and track how your keywords rank in each area. This helps you identify where you're performing well and where there's room for improvement.

Use Map-Based Tools for Insights

Leverage tools that provide map heatmaps and distance-based data to visualize your rankings geographically. These tools can help you see patterns and trends in your local search performance. Automating this process with tools like Metrics Watch can save time and provide detailed insights.

Automate with Metrics Watch

Set up Metrics Watch to streamline your tracking. You can customize reports based on specific areas or keyword groups, schedule them for weekly or monthly updates, and monitor changes in rankings over time. Pricing starts at $29 per month for two reports, with options scaling up to $100 per month for more reports and white-label features.

Making Sense of Location Data

Understanding Map-Based Reports

Map-based reports help identify areas where your business ranks well and where there’s room for improvement. Pay attention to how rankings shift across different zones near your business. Then, measure how these trends change as the distance from your location increases.

Rankings and Distance

Break down your rankings using distance brackets like: within 1 mile, 1–3 miles, and beyond 3 miles. This approach helps pinpoint where your visibility starts to decline, offering clear insights into how proximity impacts your search rankings.

Identifying Weak Spots

Once you’ve analyzed rankings by distance, focus on underperforming zones. Monitor these areas to find consistent patterns of low performance. Group locations with similar ranking trends into categories for easier analysis. Use tools like Metrics Watch to set up automated reports, so you can stay updated and receive alerts when rankings drop in specific areas.

Better Reports and Results

Once you've gathered your proximity data, the next step is creating concise, branded reports with clear recommendations.

Quick Reports with Metrics Watch

Metrics Watch simplifies reporting by automatically pulling data from your marketing platforms into a single, professional local ranking report. Its pre-made templates ensure your reports look polished and ready to present.

For a more personalized touch, you can customize these reports with your company’s branding. Metrics Watch’s white-label features allow you to add your logo and brand colors, so your reports appear as if they were created in-house. This added customization is especially useful when delivering local ranking insights to clients who expect professional-grade deliverables.

Using Data to Improve Rankings

Use your location-based ranking data to identify geographic trends and pinpoint areas for improvement. Pay close attention to regions where rankings consistently lag and investigate local factors that could be impacting performance. Analyzing distance brackets in relation to rankings can also help you define the best service radius for your business.

For instance, if rankings tend to drop beyond a 3-mile radius, you might consider:

Enhancing location-specific content for underperforming areas
Adjusting service area boundaries in your Google Business Profile
Developing neighborhood-specific landing pages for key locations
Ensuring consistent local citations in weaker zones

Clear Client Reports

Simplify complex location data for your clients by focusing on metrics that directly affect their business. Metrics Watch’s preview feature lets you review reports before sharing, ensuring everything is clear and professional.

"After testing 30+ tools, we chose Metrics Watch for its precision and support."
Apostolos Tsiter, Product Owner, onvista

Organize your reports to highlight progress in local rankings over time. Include concise analyses to explain the data, what it means, and the steps you're taking to close any ranking gaps. This approach keeps clients informed and reassures them about the impact of your local SEO strategies on their business.

Conclusion

By using map-based analysis and automated reporting, proximity-based ranking insights help businesses identify coverage gaps and improve their local SEO strategies. Tools like Metrics Watch simplify data consolidation and send branded reports straight to clients' inboxes. Clients have highlighted Metrics Watch for its accuracy and reliable support. Regularly tracking and fine-tuning proximity-based rankings ensures strong visibility across your service area.